The best method is to begin to teach the little child when it is very young. At 4 years of age the first lessons of the flowers could be begun. Keep it up. Then a little later, say six months, teach about the fish or frogs. Then the next year the life of the birds should be taught, and by the sixth year the child will be ready for the mammals and humans. In case he asks questions before he has learned of the mammals, refer him back to the flowers and you will find an answer. Most children are safe from being polluted in thought after the study of the flowers, but as the child’s mind keeps growing and developing, his questions in order to be answered truthfully demand that he be taught the higher stages of development. Mothers, keep in mind, the beauty and wonder of it all, and as you proceed in the study of the mechanism of the reproductive organs of human beings you cannot but impress upon the child the beauty and wonder of love. Help the child to realize the sacred trust of his organs, the danger in misusing them. Help him to realize the physical and moral development which awaits him in parenthood, but above all keep him close to you in confidence _through the truth_. My object is to help all mothers who wish to give their children the right conception of the beautiful truths of reproduction, and we shall begin our first lessons “The Flowers—Mr. and Mrs. Buttercup, their home and their family.” CHAPTER I. _Mr. and Mrs. Buttercup, Their Home and Families._ Little 5-year-old Bobby sat playing in the sand pile one lovely afternoon in May, and, judging by the glimpses his mother had of him through the open door of their cottage, his mind was to all appearances intent on making a sand fish perfect. For in and out the damp sand was thrown from the pile to the fish mold many times, until at last being perfect, at least to his satisfaction, he got up and ran to find his mother, who was busy within the small two-room shack where they were living for the summer. He caught hold of her apron to attract her attention, and said: “Mother, where did I come from?” Needless to say, his mother was greatly surprised at this question, just at that time, for she had not the faintest idea that his thoughts were on anything but the perfection of that sand fish. However, she quickly recovered from her surprise and taking his little face between her hands, said: “Bobby, dear, that is the most wonderful secret in all the world, and if you are quite sure you can keep this secret and only talk about it to father and mother, I’ll tell you all about it.” The curly head bobbed up and down in answer to this and as his eyes grew big and bright, he answered: “Do tell me the secret mother, I’ll never tell.” Then she said: “Let me ask you a question, dear. Do you know where the baby flowers come from? Or the baby birds or chickens or all the baby creatures in the world?” “No, no,” he answered simply, but excitedly.